Ep. 102: Managing Sleep Anxiety

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today, we are talking all about Managing Sleep Anxiety.











It is very common for my clients to report significant anxiety at bed time and during sleep. They might report trouble getting to sleep, racing thoughts while trying to fall asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking up panicking, or ruminating on an event or worry.











In this episode, we are not talking about the specific medical side of sleep disturbances. We are talking specifically about managing sleep anxiety.











Did you know that more than 40 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder? (according to the National Institutes of Health). And, did you know that 50% of those with GAD have a sleep disorder? These statistics blew me away and made me realize I need to be addressing this issue more often.











I am sure you will agree that stress and anxiety may increase sleeping problems or make existing problems even worse. Many will report that their sleep quality is much reduced when they are going through a difficult time in their lives.











But, the real question is, which one comes first? Sleep disorder or Anxiety Disorder? We will discuss this in this episode. In this episode, we also address sleep hygiene, caffeine intake, and the importance of exercise when it comes to managing anxiety. We also talk about the importance of reducing screen time, keeping naps to a minimum and the necessity of seeing a sleep specialist if you are really struggling.











I really hope this episode helps you manage sleep anxiety just a little better. It's a beautiful day to do hard things, CBT School community!

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